Randy Lewis

COLOMBIA, PART 1 -THE PRELUDE

To play the slide show above:

1) Click on the picture, the slide show will begin.

2) If you want to view one picture at a time, place your cursor over the picture and click the pause button. When ready to advance to the next picture, hover and click the next arrow.

To begin the thumbnail slide show:

1) Click on the picture above.

2) Then click on upper left photo of the thumbnail pictures.

3) Advance photos one at a time.

RANLAY Racing Trackchaser Report

DAYS 1-2 – “COLOMBIA – JUST FOR A LONG WEEKEND” TRACKCHASING TOUR

EDITOR’S NOTE

When I started out in trackchasing, I never would have imagined traveling to South America in pursuit of my hobby. Over the next three Trackchaser Reports, I’m going to tell you about my personal experiences traveling to Bogota, Columbia. I will tell you this in advance. I’ve met a good number of very nice people as I have pursued my trackchasing hobby. However, I had never met a larger group of nice racing people than the folks I hung out with at the races on Sunday. I will tell you more about them in my next two reports.

COLOMBIA – FAST FACTS

Full country name: Colombia

Capital: Bogota

Geography: Colombia is bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil, to the south by Ecuador and Peru, to the north by the Caribbean Sea, to the northwest by Panama and to the west by the Pacific Ocean.

Size: Colombia is the 26^th largest country in the world and the fourth largest in South America.

Climate: December through May is the driest time of the year in Bogota and April, May, September, October and November are the wettest. Remarkably, the average high temperature for any month is within the narrow range of 64-67 degrees Fahrenheit! The average low temperature ranges from 41-46 degrees. Bogota averages 37 inches of rain each year.

Crime: Bogota has gone to great lengths to change its crime rate and its image with increasing success after being considered one of the most dangerous cities in the world in the mid-90s. In 1993 alone, it had 4,352 intentional homicides and a murder rate of 80 per 100,000 people. With a major increase in security Bogota’s murder rate has dropped to 20 per 100,000 people. By comparison, Detroit has a murder rate of 46 per 100,000 people!! The rate in Los Angeles is 10, Philadelphia - 27 and Honolulu - 2.

Language: Spanish. Colombia has the third largest population in the world behind Mexico and Spain.

Population: Colombia has an estimated 44.6 million residents. It is the third most populous country in Latin America. Life expectancy at birth in 2005 was 72.3. Colombia is now one of the most urbanized countries in Latin America. Bogota has grown from 300,000 people in 1938 to approximately 8 million today. The country has 30 cities with populations of 100,000 or more.

Religion: More than 95% of Colombians practice Christianity. Between 80-90% of those people are Catholic.

Altitude: With an elevation of more than 8,500 feet Bogota, is the third-highest major city in the world behind La Paz, Bolivia and Quito, Ecuador.

Weights & Measures: Metric, petrol is sold by the gallon.

Currency: Colombian Peso. Currently one U.S. dollar will buy about 2,300 Colombian Pesos.

Tourism: For many years serious internal armed conflicts kept tourists from coming to Colombia. However, President Alvaro Uribe’s “democratic security” strategy, which has included significant increases in military strength and police presence throughout the country, has pushed rebels further away from the cities, highways and tourist sites.

COLOMBIA – U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT ADVICE

I began using the U.S. government’s state department website when I picked up the pace of my international trackchasing. The primary piece of information I was looking for was each foreign countries passport and visa requirements. Obviously, I need a passport to visit every foreign country. Some countries don’t require a visa from U.S. residents at all. Others will sell you a visa or issue you one free when you arrive in the country. A few others require advance lead-time in order to get a visa. I was planning on trackchasing in one country earlier this year only to find out they needed at least ten days lead-time (and custody of my passport) in order to get a visa. My lifestyle does not allow me to give up my passport for ten days very often!

If you are planning on an international trip, you might benefit from the information provided by this site:

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1765.html

I always review this site to learn what key information and watch outs are being provided by the U.S. government regarding Americans traveling to, in this case, Colombia. I want to be mindful of such data. However, I don’t want to be paranoid about these warnings. Because if I were I might never travel anywhere.

Before Carol and I visited Mexico City, we were told it was “the most dangerous city in the world”. We were there for just 24 hours, but our stay was most pleasant. Our hotel was modern and upscale. We toured during the day in a double-decker bus and saw some beautiful sights. Our dining choices were unique, delicious and reasonably priced.

Do I think Mexico City is the most dangerous city in the world? No, I do not. However, my experience is based upon one 24-hour period. It is only my experience. I would never want to take any other traveler’s advice exclusively regarding a particular place, either good or bad. That advice would be their own experience and normally based upon a small amount of time of just days or weeks. I live in the greater Los Angeles area. I have lived here for some 30 years. Nevertheless, even with that amount of “seat time” in Southern California, I could not be considered an “expert” on the safeness of Los Angeles. I like to take everyone’s opinions and then add them to my own “value judgment” system and decide what makes sense to do and what does not. I will tell you this. There is almost no place I will not visit. With that as background, take a look at the U.S. Government’s comments about visiting Columbia.

“Colombia is a medium-income nation of some 44 million inhabitants. Its geography is very diverse, ranging from tropical coastal areas and rainforests to rugged mountainous terrain. Tourist facilities in Colombia vary in quality and safety, according to price and location. Security is a significant concern for travelers, as described in the Department of State’s Travel Warning for Colombia.

All U.S. citizens who are not also Colombian citizens must present a valid U.S. passport to enter and depart Colombia, and to return to the United States.

No arrival tax is collected upon entry into Colombia, but travelers leaving by plane must pay an exit tax at the airport, in cash. The tax varies with the dollar/peso exchange rate, but is usually between $50 and $70.

Violence has decreased in many urban destinations, including the city of Bogota. Small towns and rural areas of Colombia can be extremely dangerous due to the presence of narco-terrorists. The incidence of kidnapping in Colombia has diminished significantly from its peak at the beginning of this decade. Nevertheless, terrorist groups, including the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), and other criminal organizations, continue to kidnap and hold civilians for ransom or as political bargaining chips. No one is immune from kidnapping on the basis of occupation, nationality, or other factors. Although the U.S. government places the highest priority on the safe recovery of kidnapped Americans, it is U.S. policy not to make concessions to kidnappers. Consequently, the U.S. government’s ability to assist kidnap victims is limited. U.S. Embassy employees are allowed to travel by air, but inter- and intra-city bus transportation is off limits to them.

Although the threat of terrorism has decreased in most of Colombia’s cities, they nevertheless experience much of the same crime that is seen in comparably sized cities throughout the region. Robbery and other violent crimes, as well as scams against unsuspecting tourists, are common in urban areas. Generally speaking, if you are the victim of a robbery, you should not resist.

Robberies of taxi passengers: Robbery of taxi passengers is a serious problem in Bogota. Typically, the driver – who is one of the conspirators – will pick up the passenger and then stop to pick up two or more armed cohorts, who enter the cab, overpower the passenger, and take his/her belongings. If the passenger has an ATM card, the perpetrators may force the passenger to withdraw money from various ATM locations. Such ordeals can last for hours.

In almost every case of taxi-related crime, the victims have been riding alone and have hailed taxis off the street. Rather than hailing a taxi, you should use the telephone dispatch service that most taxi companies offer. Many hotels, restaurants, and stores will call a taxi for you, and the taxi usually arrives within minutes. When a taxi is dispatched by telephone, the dispatcher creates a record of the call and the responding taxi.

The Embassy continues to receive reports of criminals in Colombia using disabling drugs to temporarily incapacitate tourists and others. U.S. citizens in Colombia routinely fall victim to a scam in which purported undercover police officers approach them on the street and request to examine their money, supposedly to determine if it is counterfeit. The “officers,” who are in fact criminals, then flee with the money. In a variation of this scam, the thieves may ask to see jewelry. Legitimate Colombian police officers do not make such requests. If you are arrested, the U.S. government cannot request your release. Colombia and the United States do not have a prisoner transfer agreement, and so any sentence for a crime committed in Colombia is ordinarily served in a Colombian prison. The hardships resulting from imprisonment do not end even after release from prison: Colombian law requires that serious offenders remain in the country to serve a lengthy period of parole, during which the offender is given no housing and may lack permission to work. As a result, family members must often support the offender, sometimes for more than a year, until the parole period expires. Colombia employs strict screening procedures for detecting narcotics smuggling at its international airports. Americans and other travelers are occasionally questioned, searched, fingerprinted, and/or asked to submit to an abdominal x-ray upon arrival or departure. Most airport inspectors do not speak English, and travelers who do not speak Spanish may have difficulty understanding what is asked of them.

Emergency rooms in Colombia, even at top-quality facilities, are frequently overcrowded and ambulance service can be slow. Uninsured travelers without financial resources may be unable to obtain care, or relegated to seeking treatment in public hospitals where care is far below U.S. standards. The Embassy regularly receives reports of U.S. citizens in Colombia who have died or suffered complications from liposuction and other elective surgeries intended to treat obesity. Travelers to the capital city of Bogota may need time to adjust to the altitude of 8,600 feet, which can affect blood pressure, digestion, and energy level, and cause mild dyspnea with exercise, headaches, sleeplessness, and other discomfort.

Due to the security environment in Colombia, U.S. government officials and their families are not permitted to travel by road between most major cities. They also cannot use inter- or intra-city bus transportation, or travel by road outside urban areas at night. Traffic laws in Colombia, including speed limits, are often ignored and rarely enforced, creating dangerous conditions for drivers and pedestrians in major cities.”

GREETINGS FROM TOCANCIPA, COLOMBIA

MY TRIP STARTED ON THURSDAY IN SAN CLEMENTE WITH A 4:30 A.M. WAKEUP CALL. BY JUST PAST 8 P.M. MY PLANE WAS TOUCHING DOWN LIGHTLY AT THE BOGOTA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THIS IS WHAT TRANSPOIRED OVER THE FRIST TWO DAYS OF THIS PLANNED FIVE-DAY TRIP.

SEE THE PHOTOS; ENJOY THE PHOTOS

If you would like to see photos from today’s trackchasing adventure go to www.ranlayracing.com, click on the “Foreign Countries Visited” tab and then click on “Colombia, Part 1 – The Prelude” for the Bogotá, Colombia pictures and story. Don’t miss them. As with each of my international trips, you will view some unusual sights never before seen at www.ranlayracing.com.

PART 1 of 3, THE PRELUDE

THINGS YOU MIGHT HAVE NOTICED HAD YOU BEEN PAYING MORE ATTENTION IN SCHOOL

I will maintain my policy of affording anonymity to readers who send in interesting bits of information or who provide cutting edge analysis.

From somewhere near the Rockie Mountains

A friend of mine recently traveled to South America. Here is part of what he had to say about his trip.

“We are wrapping up our Brazil/Argentina trip and now after having traveled to over a dozen countries have reached a conclusion. The French are by far the most rude travelers in the world. Why don’t you start a poll among your readers? More than once we see them trying to break into lines, walk four-abreast along a trail for four wide and not give way to on-coming walkers and they seem oblivious to their backpacks and constantly bump into people.”

Editor’s note: I have noticed that several people during my travels don’t see to respect the idea of standing in line. I’m not bashful about telling people to not cut in line when they try it near me. They usually avoid eye contact and slither away to try to cut somewhere else.

TODAY’S HEADLINES

I met one of the most enthusiastic ambassadors for his country ever during this trip....................more in “The People”.

Question for Jesse James, “Why do you rob banks?”.…………..details in “The Objective”.

Would be pay 190,000 for a private car sightseeing tour?…………..details in “The Trip”.

What you are about to read is based upon a true story. Heck, I’m seeing some of this stuff for the first time myself!

THE OBJECTIVE, THE TRIP AND THE PEOPLE…AND A WHOLE LOT MORE

The Objective

RACE TO 30 INTERNATIONAL CONTEST

Despite being on a limited budget, I am making a valiant attempt to become the very next trackchaser to see racing in 30 countries. Recall, I have committed to reducing our “Vacation and Entertainment” budget by 40% in 2009. Nevertheless, I expect to tell you that I have visited my 28^th trackchasing country in a subsequent report.

Colombia will be my sixth new trackchasing country of the year. I have already been to Andorra, Argentina, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. One of my stated trackchasing goals for 2009 is to see a minimum of eight new trackchasing countries. I am well on my way to achieving that plan.

Last year, I traveled some 257,000 miles to trackchase. That was a personal record. When I complete this trip, I will have traveled just over 90,000 miles during the first part of 2009. Last year, through the same period I had traveled just over 70,000 miles. I’m on a pace to break my all-time travel record, but don’t know if I will.

Jesse James was once asked, “Why do you rob banks?”. He replied succinctly, “Because that’s where the money is”. It would be difficult to argue with his logic. Why do I trackchaser internationally? “That’s where the tracks are!”.

The Trip

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2009

DISCLAIMER: DO NOT READ THE FOLLOWING UNLESS YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THE MOST MINUTE OF DETAILS ASSOCIATED WITH PLANNING AN INTERNATIONAL TRIP WITH MULTIPLE MOVING PARTS WITH VARYING PERCENTAGES OF LIKELIHOOD.

The bottom line was that I needed to get to Bogota on time and in a cost-efficient manner.

Give me a moment to explain my departure strategy for this weekend’s races in the greater Bogota, Colombia area. It’s never simple but it’s always fun. The race I was going to see would be run on Sunday afternoon. I would need to arrive no later than Saturday in order to make the race. There is only one flight each day, provided by my airline sponsors, from Atlanta to Bogota. It leaves at 5 p.m. and gets in around 9 p.m.

If I were buying a ticket, and wanted to minimize my time away from home, I would have simply purchased a ticket to arrive into Colombia on Saturday night. However, as you know, I operate on a very efficient trackchasing budget. It was not part of my plan to purchase a ticket to arrive at the last minute.

First, my trackchasing budget is minuscule compared to my trackchasing competition. Yes, I have to get by with less. Secondly, and most importantly, I wouldn’t want to fly all the way to a place like Colombia and not have some time to see the country.

Before I could fly FROM Atlanta to Bogota, I had to GET to Atlanta. This is spring break time in the United States. We have college kids who are flying every which way during this time period. This is my third year of flying standby. I have concluded that “Spring Break” is the busiest and most extended flying time of the year. It seems that each school system takes their spring break at a slightly different time. Spring Break spans about six weeks during March/April.

There are four flights each day from my hometown airport, Orange County, to Atlanta. However, only the first flight of the day allowed me to make the connection to Bogota on the same day. If I left on Friday morning, this would mean I would have just one flight from Orange County to Atlanta in order to get to Bogota on Friday. That would be very risky ass Friday and Sunday are the busiest flight days of the week.

This meant if I wanted to virtually guarantee getting to Bogota for the race, and I did, then I would have to leave on Thursday. This would give me four flights to get to Atlanta. I was 90% certain I could make one of those flights. Then I would stay overnight in Atlanta on Thursday night and take the wide open flight in Bogota on Friday night. This plan would allow me to first, get to Atlanta and secondly, have two days minimum in Colombia for sightseeing.

However, if I could make the first flight of the day on Thursday, I would have three options. I could still stay overnight in Atlanta……or I could fly onto Philadelphia and see the UCLA Bruins play their opening game at the Wachovia Center on Thursday night and then fly back to Atlanta on Friday morning before going to Bogota on Friday night…….or I could fly to Bogota, a day early on Thursday night. Got that?

I woke up at 4:30 a.m. on Thursday. By 5:30 a.m. I was at the Orange County airport. The first flight of the day that would make the above paragraph work departed at 6:45 a.m. That flight was overbooked by 10 seats. I was the last standby passenger on the list. How did I do? I got the very last seat on the airplane from Orange County to Atlanta! That put all three of my Thursday early arrival Atlanta options into play.

There was no reason to stay overnight in Atlanta when I could fly to Philly or Bogota. That eliminated option #1. I decided against going to Philadelphia. That trip would be fun but would add too much risk to my getting to Bogota. Getting to Bogota was the PRIMARY purpose of this trip. I chose option #3 and flew to Bogota on Thursday evening. My advance planning was rewarded with a comfortable business class seat on the way to Bogota.

I used my Apple iPhone to add another day to my hotel reservation. I would now be staying in Bogota for four nights. That would give me plenty of time to get a feel for the city. The hotel would send a car to the airport to pick me up. My plan was coming together.

I made it to Bogota.

My flight from Atlanta landed in Bogota at just past 8 p.m. There were no jet ways to take us from the plane to the interior of the airport. Each passenger boarded a shuttle bus that took us around the tarmac to the international entrance to the terminal building.

At this point, I entered a short queue of people waiting to clear Colombian passport control. My wait was about five minutes. While in line to clear customs, I was able to check my email via my iPhone! Most of the customs agents were beautiful young Colombian black-haired women. They were dressed in white or blue t-shirts, slacks and military combat boots.

At the first desk, the agent scanned my passport. She looked at all of the pages in it and scanned it again. A series of lights seemed to signal her next action. Another young customs agent motioned me to a second desk. At this point, my passport was scanned again. I was beginning to have some concern about why this might be happening. Just at that point, the agent looked up and smiled. I would be allowed to pass.

I was now in a foyer area of the airport. Just beyond the large glass windows, I could see people waiting for their friends and loved ones. I was expecting to be met by a representative of the Hotel Centro Internacional. I had made arrangements for a private car to pick me up rather than taking a taxi.

However, before I could begin looking for my ride, I needed some cash. I’m talking local cash as in Colombian Pesos. My Essex currency converter on my iPhone told me that one U.S. dollar would buy $2,508 pesos. However, the currency exchange at the airport only offered $2,200 pesos per dollar. My research at www.tripadvisor.com suggested that an ATM would be the best place, rate-wise, to get Pesos. However, there were no ATMs available in this part of the airport, only 3-4 currency exchange operations.

I decided to exchange just $20 U.S. That would get me by for short-term tipping and other small purchases until I could find an ATM. I was surprised that in order to complete my small currency transaction I was fingerprinted. When in Rome, do what the Romans do!

At this point, I walked outside. My search at www.weather.com indicated that high temperatures during my four-day stay would be in the mid-60s. There would be a 30-40% chance of rain each day. I was here to watch a sports cars race on an asphalt road course. I would not have to worry about this type of racing being rained out. They race in the rain. Tonight the temperature was about 65 degrees and actually very comfortable.

As I ventured out in the masses, I was surprised by one thing. I was not mobbed by people wanting to be my driver. In many countries, you can hardly walk anywhere without being hassled for business. It didn’t take long and I found Alejandro who would be my driver. He didn’t speak much English and I didn’t speak much Spanish. Nevertheless, we were able to communicate well enough to get our points across.

I sat in the front seat of his small new Chevrolet. This seemed to surprise Alejandro. It would have seemed a bit pompous to ride in the back seat of a “hotel car” of this type. I could see better from the front seat too. Finally, I had read that only a car’s front seats are required to have seatbelts!

Our drive to the hotel took at most 15 minutes. It was a quiet evening in Bogota. There was some traffic and road construction, but nothing too tough. Alejandro told me that petrol is sold in gallons, but distances are measured in kilometers and temperatures are Celsius. Petrol was selling for $7,500 pesos or about $3-3.50 U.S. per gallon. That would make fuel more expensive in Colombia than it is in the U.S.

Soon we reached the Hotel Centro Internacional. I had already paid for my room over the internet. It was not exactly like buying a room at the Marriott or some U.S. based hotel on the internet. This hotel had been recommended at www.tripadvisor.com. by a traveler who seemed to think like me. When I went to the hotel’s website, there was no option of buying directly from the site. First, I had to email them asking about availability and rates. When I received their feedback, I then sent them an email with my credit card info. That didn’t seem like a very secure way to do things, but that was what was required. By the way, we have our credit card number “stolen” about once a year. When that happens, the credit card calls us to verify charges. When we tell them the purchases are not ours, they issue us a new card with a new number. We are never liable for the unauthorized charges.

The hotel had 52 rooms. It was located across the street from a local university. Traveler feedback told me it would be in a quiet and safe location. My room, was somewhat small but modern and clean. It had a hardwood floor and a newly renovated marble countertop bathroom. For my short stay, it would be just fine. The TV offered about 50 channels. Several were in English with Spanish subtitles.

I started out in San Clemente, California 15 hours from the time I made it to my hotel room’s front door. It had been a long but fairly easy travel day. I was lucky to get the very last seat on the first plane to Atlanta of the day. Had I not, I would not be in Bogota, Colombia tonight. I enjoy the lifestyle of a person who doesn’t have a fixed idea of what country they will sleep in until it’s time to go to sleep!

By the way, Carol and I had been in Colombia for just one short afternoon on a Panama Canal cruise several years ago. We didn’t see much of the country then. I am very much looking forward to my visit.

FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2009

Breakfast at the hotel.

Many international hotels offer breakfast in their basic room rate. My hotel, the Hotel Centro Internacional did as well. The staff at the hotel didn’t speak much English, although they were most friendly and helpful. It was somewhat challenging to communicate with the restaurant staff.

The main breakfast entrée was a huge corn tamale enclosed in a series of banana plant leaves. There must have been 8-10 ounces of corn tamale mix along with some chicken on the inside. This was served with orange and guava juice, French bread and coffee/hot chocolate.

My personal safety in Bogota.

I must admit that I was a little concerned with my personal safety in Colombia. The U.S. state report was not very encouraging. I decided to “dip my toe in the water” by taking a short walk around the hotel after breakfast. It was raining lightly with a temperature of about 65 degrees.

I was taking pictures of the local surroundings when a bespeckled man who was the spitting image of Penn State’s Joe Paterno came up to me. He said, in Colombian accented English, “Watch out for the snatchers. We had have people who will come around and try to snatch the camera of an unsuspecting tourist. You need to hide your camera underneath your sweater or hold onto it tightly”. I must admit that made me feel even more uncertain about what I might be in store for during this trip.

Exchanging money.

Last night I exchanged money at the airport. I got 2,200 Colombian pesos for the twenty-dollar bill that I exchanged. Today at the hotel I exchanged another twenty-dollar bill from Carol’s collection and received 2,400 pesos for each U.S. dollar. It seemed as if the hotel was a little more generous than the money store at the airport. I didn’t expect to spend much cash. I figured I would just keep exchanging $20 bills so I could avoid ATM service fees.

I wanted to take a tour.

Today was Friday. I had arrived a day early just in case I ran into any travel issues along the way. There was no racing or any racing activities planned for today. I asked the hotel desk about arranging a tour. I was interested in the tour pictured in the hotel guide that would take me out into the countryside around Bogota.

The hotel desk clerk looked up the price. It would be $160,000 pesos. In my mind, paying 160,000 of ANYTHING for a tour seems expensive. However, this was only about $75 U.S. and this would be a six-hour tour. I asked if the tour would be conducted in English. No, it would not.

However, for 30,000 more pesos (about $14), I could get an English guide. I really didn’t have a choice. If I wanted to take a tour, I needed to understand what I was seeing. I paid the 190,000 pesos and waited for the tour company to come by the hotel and pick me up.

A few minutes past the scheduled meeting time Alejandro, my driver from the night before, came striding through the door. He motioned for me to get in his car. I suspected he would be driving me to where the tour would begin. Unbeknownst to me, Alejandro was not driving me to meet anyone else. He WAS the tour guide.

There were pluses and minuses to this arrangement. First, I would be the only tourist on the tour! I liked the idea of having my own private driver for the next six hours. However, as mentioned above Alejandro did not speak English very well. That was doubly painful considering I had paid an extra 30,000 pesos to get an English-speaking guide. Nevertheless, we did O.K. He stopped when I wanted to stop and did his best to explain what we were seeing as we went along.

The restaurant stops were the highlights of the day.

We stopped at two restaurants that I likely never would have visited had I not been with a local. The first was located along the highway. They looked busy. I was attracted by their “arepas” a corn made pancake of sorts. It was delicious. I heartily recommend you take a look at the photos from “Columbia – Part 1” at www.ranlayracing.com. You’ll find this section on the site’s home page. I also was able to take a tour of the restaurant’s kitchen. Everyone there was super nice and friendly.

By the time we were ready to have lunch we were in a small Colombian town. We happened across a restaurant serving pollo (chicken) on a giant spit. This was a modern chicken roaster than even Kenny Rogers would have been proud of. I treated Alejandro to a lunch of broasted chicken, roasted red potatoes and another corn-based arepas. We downed our feast with a local Colombian orange soda. It was fun to have lunch with a local in a local restaurant. I learned a lot about Alejandro and Colombia from his point of view at lunch and during the day.

Does Colombia have more than its share of crime?

It’s difficult to answer that question. I suppose if you visit Colombia for one afternoon and get mugged, you will likely answer “Yes” to that question. However, if you spend several days here and never have a problem, you might choose a resounding “No” in answer to the question.

I will say this. Alejandro and I must have stopped along our tour at least ten times to get out of the car and look around. Each time he took the faceplate from his in-car stereo system and placed it in his pocket to prevent theft of the stereo. Often he used an attachment similar to “The Club” to prevent potential thieves from stealing the car. On one occasion, in a church parking he even made me go back and get my camera bag from the car’s interior for safety purposes.

How big is the illegal drug business in Colombia?

Alejandro objected to the implication of this statement. He reminded me that Colombia had both beautiful scenery and beautiful people. Of course, I would find this to be true. I think Colombia and Bogota have changed a good deal over the past 10-15 years. Yes, there was a very strong police and military presence nearly everywhere I went. It seems to me that presence has been working to dramatically decrease criminal activity of all sorts.

I would soon see something that reminded me of why I was here.

On the way back into Bogota following my daylong tour, we came across two racecars being hauled down the road on open-wheel trailers. I would later see these cars at the car exhibition promoting the race at a local shopping mall.

Maybe it was the altitude or the time change or just the anticipation of this trip.

Whatever it was, I was tired after my first full day in Colombia. I found a local supermarket (in New York it would be called a “bodega”) and grabbed a few things for dinner. Then I watched the NCAA basketball tournament on my laptop back in my room. I have a program that allows me to watch any NCAA tournament bball game live time or on a recorded basis. Internet access was free at the hotel. At this point I felt at home and was anxiously looking forward to the remainder of my Colombian vacation.

The People

I am in constant contact with people at the tracks I plan to visit. However, I was luckier than normal with my advance contacts for the Autodromo de Tocancipa. I happened across a fellow by the name of Ricardo Soler. I’ll tell you more about Ricardo in my next two reports. For now, I will simply share with you his note back to me welcoming me to his track.

Hello Randy!

WOW! You are the king of the road!!!!!!!!

Congratulations and welcome to Colombia. Let me help you about transportation. We are very happy to receive you in our country.

I am the manager of the Stop And Go Magazine and of course I would like to take an interview with you. In other hand we can speak with other journalists.

You won’t take a taxi to the speed track. We can offer you transportation and hospitality in Tocancipa Speed Track. Some member of our staff can speak English (if you don’t speak Spanish).

You are welcome.

Ricardo Soler

From this point I knew that Ricardo would be a major factor in the enjoyment of my Colombian trip.

Coming soon!

How do fellow P&G retirees really think?

I have some really big news that will break in my first Trackchaser Report after April 25, 2009. Despite frequent questions, I can’t tell you what this is about until the appointed date. I will say I am receiving some most unusual questions and comments on this topic.

Why I fear Ed Esser.

Thanks for reading about my trackchasing,

Randy Lewis

Alberta’s #1 Trackchaser

Do you know where you’ll be when you get where you’re going?

TRAVEL DETAILS

AIRPLANE

Orange County, CA – Atlanta, GA – 1,919 miles

Atlanta, GA – Bogota, Colombia – 2,100 miles

RENTAL CAR

No rental cars, I took taxis and the hotel’s private car everywhere I went in Colombia

World's #1 Ranked Trackchaser